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[funtimefrankie]

Some years ago a mate at work used to call wives Peg or Peggy, even if they weren't a Margaret.

ie "How's your Peg?" or  "I've got to get our Peg a birthday card"

Reading a in book about the Bounty Mutiny, it says that some of the mutineers took native women for their Peggys.

Anyone know where this expression comes from, is it naval slang?

Anyone heard it used anywhere?

Can't find it on 'tinternet

[Jimmy James]

Years ago at sea (Merchant Navy) The Deck boy, JOS (Junior ordinary seaman),  SOS (Senior O/S) and/or DHU (deck hand uncertified) was nominated Peggy... His job was to act as add-hoc steward for the deck hands--- Bring the meals to the mess, wash up after meals keep the mess and the crew toilets clean and on some ships clean the PO's (Bosun & Chippy) cabin's, On older ships with Foc'sle accomadation he had to keep the pot belly stove stoked and clean and fetch the coal....As well as his own deck duties (Normally he was not a watch keeper) the duty as Peggy was normally rotated among the Junior seaman on a monthly basses --- though on some ships it was used as a punishment Aboard ships this was considerd womans work hence the degreading name Peggy....
 
Freebooter

[Shipmate60]

Not any more, it is considered a "cushy" job.

Bob

[Jimmy James]

Life at sea has changed a lot from what it was in my early days in the 50's , In those days 07:00 Sunday morning you could tell the Bos'n to give the lads a job and finish... Say in port Paint the Funnel ... and they could knock off for rest of the day.... within 15 Min's you would have 4 or 5 stages and chairs rigged 50 or 60 feet up at the top of the funnel and by lunch time the job was finished the gear was put away the lads were showed and on the way ashore ... These days by the time you have done a risk assessment and all the other paper work got permition from the port or harbour authority, ordered scaffolding done a risk assessment checked all the certs rigged the scaffolding checked it's all done correctly and ask the harbour to issue a permit so you can issue a permit to work, its time to knock off for the day... Probably just as well as most sailors these days couldn't rig a stage or a bosun's chair anyway and even if they could they wouldn't be allowed to because of HSE
Freebooter